


The incident involving a campfire

by DunceJoy



Category: Don’t Starve
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-04-23 20:06:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19158049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DunceJoy/pseuds/DunceJoy
Summary: Wilson finds out about Willows big secret or whatever





	The incident involving a campfire

"That should be just about it!" 

The gentleman scientist had spent most of the day gathering resources for the harsh winter to come. Dusk had fallen a couple hours ago, so if he wanted to return to the camp in time he'd better get going. He figured he hadn't gone too far, as he had mostly been hanging around their many, many rabbit traps. He was about to reach for his backpack when he spotted something in the distance.

A suspicious dirt pile.

And without any second thought he was on his merry way, thinking of all the delicious jerky waiting for him. 

Back at the camp a nervous young woman sits, twiddling her thumbs and looking down at the ground. 

"Where is he? He should've been back by now... what if he needs my help?! I swear to Christ if that nerd got himself into trouble again."

Wilson's curiosity had gotten the best of him more than once. The guy has three effigies readied "just in case" for crying out loud! Willow was always the one having to save the poor man's skin. It got tiresome but she was not about to leave a fella to die. And she really did admire his dedication to learn more about this hell-scape. She'd see him writing in that little book of his, called them his "field notes". Willow could barely make out a word on any of the pages. Be it her education-less past, or the fact that Wilson's handwriting is piss poor.

"I can't even pet Chester because he's with Wilson! Ugh, why's he taking so looong?"

The firestarter was growing more and more impatient, or paranoid, rather. It was getting darker by the minute, and still no Wilson. Willow felt a slight chill, winter's closing in. Maybe the fire pit would do her some good. Or, maybe not. We don't want the nice man finding out about that. That being her immunity to fire. Wilson had said it himself, he was a man of science, and if something was ever to occur that he didn't understand, the poor guy might just have a heart-attack! Or worse, he'll try and dissect her to figure out where her immunity came from!

Willow shivered at the thought, but quickly dismissed it. 'No, he wouldn't do that.'

She looked longingly at the dead fire pit. 'You know, Wilson isn't actually here yet... just a few minutes, for good ol' sanity's sake.'

'We might be over prepared' the science guy thought to himself as he made a quick torch for the night. 'Eh, there's no such thing as over prepared! Unless we end up with excessive amounts of rot, that is...'

"Come on, Chester!" Wilson whistled and the happy, dog-like inventory hopped towards him. Wilson opened him and counted his resources one last time before confirming there was just enough of everything. 

"Yet another winter, eh Chester? Just you, me, and..." 

And so it finally hit him. 

"Willow!" 

Wilson bolted off, Chester barely being able to keep up.

'Oh dear, let's hope she hasn't assumed the worst just yet.'

A few logs were sacrificed to make the most wonderful thing known to man, fire. Willow watched in awe at the raging flames. Her hand reached slowly out towards the fire pit, and she soon found herself entering it. It was like a million tiny hugs! She loved it! Just feeling the fire wrap around her cleansed her mind and made her feel at ease. Was she worried about something earlier? Meh, whatever, it was probably nothing. For now, she felt a yawn coming. Was she tired? She might as well catch some Z's while the opportunity was there. No shadow creature in The Constant could touch her now!

Wilson stopped in his tracks while he squinted his eyes at something in the distance. 'Ah, light! Must be her!'

He sprinted towards where the raging fire took place, relived that Willow hadn't gone looking for him and gotten herself in danger. She was quite the adventurer, which he admired greatly. Though her pyromanic tendencies were a bit of an issue. So many science machines had fallen victim to her lighter's wrath. He had tried confiscating it once, though that only resulted in him facing Bernie... as in she chucked her sentient teddy bear at his face.

As Wilson got closer to the camp he noticed that Willow wasn't next to her fire, but inside of it. Realization struck him as he figured she'd slipped and fallen into it. He stood there horrified before snapping back to reality and making a run for it.

"WILLOW!"

'Who's yelling?' Willow thought to herself as she lightly opened her eyes. The blurry figure of a man in a red trench coat approached her at lightning speed, and as she realized what was happening, it was already too late.

"WILSON WAIT-"

—

A 30-something year old man sits on a log and rubs spider glands on his second degree burns. 

"Why did you do that?"

Wilson looked flabbergasted at the lady beside him.

"Why did I-you were burning yourself alive woman!"

Willow looked away for a moment before speaking again.

"I'm sorry..."

"Apology accepted."

Wilson continued to patch up his wounds before something steadily dawned upon him.

"Wait. Why aren't you covered in burn scars? You were probably in that fire for quite some time before I found you."

Willow felt a lump in her throat.

"Willow."

She didn't respond.

"Willow what's going on here?"

Could she trust him with her secret? Would he abandon her and call her a freak like everyone else? She really didn't want that to be the case. As of her entire life, Wilson has been one of if not the only person she considered a friend.  
But there was no turning back now. The only two things she could do was keep silent or tell him the truth.

"Wilson, please please pleeease don't freak out when I tell you this"

The gentleman scientist listened in.

"I'm immune to fire. It doesn't hurt me. Why? I have no idea."

She looked over at the man next to her, his expression hadn't changed much. It seemed like he was in deep thought. 

"I knew there was some underlying reason for your pyromania."

His face suddenly beamed.

"How fascinating!"

"Soooo, you're not going to dissect me."

Wilson blinked.

"What- by science, no! That wouldn't be very gentlemanly of me!"

Willow sighed in relief, happy that things didn't take a turn for the worst. 

"Though I have a few questions."

Aaand there we go.

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"Wasn't the dissecting comment enough of a hint? I'm a freak. Some misfit abomination not good enough for her own parents. The only time others would bring up my immunity were when they tried accusing me of being the devil, or a witch."

Wilson placed a hand on the firestarters shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile.

"I think you've got a great gift, miss Willow. You're no abomination, you're a miracle to human evolution!"

Willow let out a small laugh.

"Had to make it all sciency, hadn't you?"

"Well of course! This is science! Speaking off-"

Willow rightfully cut him off.

"You're not doing experiments on me."

"Fair enough."


End file.
